Kortney Wilson and Kenny Brain are back for a new season of Coming home to Kortney and Kenny, and to say that we are excited is an understatement. We can’t wait to see how these on-screen “brothers” change the lives of families across Nashville with their expertise in renovation and design.
Ahead of the October 11 premiere on HGTV Canada, we caught up with Kortney and Kenny to find out what they’ve been up to between seasons. Read on to learn more about how their friendship has blossomed since they first met last season, what they’ve each been up to, and what to expect when the show returns.
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Kortney got engaged
If you ever want advice on online dating, Kortney is your girl. She fell in love with the first person she met online (and dated), and now they’re happily engaged!
“I was shooting a lot in Canada and I met someone important in my life,” he explained. “Between seasons, we actually got engaged. I had never really been on a date before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I met my first husband when he was very young. I realize now how lucky I was to go on a date and meet, you know, this amazing man.”
Kenny will be at the wedding party
Kortney and Kenny have become quite close as a result of doing the show together, and between seasons, they grew even closer. So much so that Kortney has asked him to be at the wedding party as the flower man.
“Ryan and Kenny hang out without me. Kenny comes out to the lake with us and some of the rest of the team, we really have a great relationship,” says Kortney. “It is so nice to be in a relationship with my co-host that is so positive and uplifting and fun. Honestly, it’s been one of the biggest blessings.”
“You can call her a flower girl. I don’t mind; flower boy, flower man, whatever,” says Kenny. “Kortney asked me while we were filming if he would do it. I almost burst into tears because I felt so honored to do so. I can’t wait to discover my outfit. I’m going to have a choreographed dance, and it’s going to be so much fun.”
Kortney is working to set the date
Now that Kortney is engaged, fans are wondering when the big day will be. Turns out she and Ryan haven’t set the date yet, but she’s definitely on this busy couple’s to-do list.
This is Ryan’s first wedding, and only wedding, I hope. So we want to get it right,” she says. “Things get complicated because everyone is out of town. I have my chosen family and friends here, but all of his family and his friends are in Canada. We’re trying to navigate post-pandemic stuff and travel and whether we should get married here or at a destination. We’re all over the map right now, but we plan on trying to figure this out, like by the end of October.”
Kenny went on a trip with his dad
Fans will get to know more about Kenny this season, including learning more about how he grew up. That’s because his dad will be appearing on the show for a guest appearance.
“My dad and I went to Arizona right before we started filming. We spent a week there,” reveals Kenny. “He goes there every year on his motorcycle, it’s perfect for riding his Harley. But he came to Nashville twice. While we were filming, he drove by on his Harley. Along the way, he stayed for a couple of days and will appear on the show.”
Related: Making Your House a Home: 10 Questions to Ask Before Renovating
Kortney said goodbye to her house
Kortney made a big change between seasons, moving out of the house she raised her kids in and moving into a random property she snatched up during the pandemic.
“I never intended to move out of that house. After the divorce I bought that house,” she reveals. “I put a lot of money into it and renovated it with the intention of staying. And you know, life had different plans. There were a number of things that happened in my life that made me realize that moving would be good for the kids and me,” she continues.
“I was already building another house that I wasn’t planning on moving to; I was just doing it for fun and to challenge myself. I bought the lot while I was in Canada, believe it or not, the same week I met Ryan, without seeing him. You can’t even make these things up.
Kenny also made a big move
Kenny made his own move between seasons when he and his dog Molly packed up their Vancouver home and headed to Calgary.
“My sister is here, I have family here, my nephews. And it just makes sense,” she says of the decision. “She’s right next door, but the cost of living here is drastically cheaper than in Vancouver. It was also voted one of the best cities to live in North America. So when it comes to spending a winter in the gray rain or spending a winter in the beautiful sunshine? Calgary.
Kortney travels again
Despite moving and getting engaged, Kortney and her children have also taken time to travel between seasons. She says that she feels blessed to have filmed this new season of Coming home to Kortney and Kenny in Nashville because she could stay in one place for the entire school year, but the travel bug bites again.
“We have been planning a trip to Africa that we are going to do in December,” he reveals.
Kenny had a random injury
Kortney mentioned how Kenny visited her and Ryan at the lake. Well, it turns out that one of the activities they did there was making noodles (that sport where you fight a catfish with your bare hands).
“It’s exhilarating. it’s terrifying. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done,” says Kenny. “I am not going to lie. I got into it and didn’t know anything about it until we were on the boat getting ready to do it. In the moment, you are so caught up in it. He ended up being very funny. I may or may not have broken something on the way.”
The host reveals that we will see more about the injury in this season of the show because he had to go to work a couple of days later. “All of a sudden I have a ruptured appendix and it’s hard to hide something like that,” he explains.
Expect more color this season
As anyone who has seen Kortney Wilson over the years knows, this girl loves color. But, because she always approaches these designs from a real estate agent’s point of view, she always has resale on the back of her head. However, this season promises that things will be a little more colorful.
“All the houses are really different this year. We got white on white and neutral last season because design trends have had that trend in the last few years,” she says. “It’s going back to a little more color now. So we had a handful of our owners this year willing to let us do it.”
Kenny will be much more comfortable this season
Last year was Kenny’s first time hosting a show, and he threw himself into it: He and Kortney only met in person for the first time during filming. So naturally he was a bit intimidated. This year, however, he says he’s on the mend.
“To say I was nervous about starting last season is an understatement. My legs were shaking when I first walked in,” he says. “This time it feels like everyone is taking a collective breath. It’s just laid back, fun and easy. It’s like coming home. This time, it’s just us. We’re just being ourselves, having fun, having the best time, and just doing some amazing projects.”
Don’t miss the season premiere of Coming home to Kortney and Kenny Tuesday, October 11 at 10 pm ET/PT on HGTV Canada. Also available in the world tv app and in STACK TV with Amazon Prime Video Channels and Rogers.
Read More: 10 Things You Need To Know About Kenny Brain